N00302:602
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of the lost son found, is opened and applied, as it was delivered in sundry sermons, / by Samuel Willard teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Two lines from Luke]
printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Philips, 1684
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Quest. If it be then enquired how far the soul should resign itself up to Gods dispose; I answer, He doth in this act submit himself to the Sovereignty, Justice, and Mercy of God: He throws himself down at the feet of these Attributes; not one alone, but all of them.
Quest. If it be then enquired how far the soul should resign itself up to Gods dispose; I answer, He doth in this act submit himself to the Soveraignty, Justice, and Mercy of God: He throws himself down at the feet of these Attributes; not one alone, but all of them.
1. He submits himself to the Justice of God, acknowledging him to be righteous in all his dealings with him; yea, that he cannot in any wise do him the least wrong: He is incapable of injury from the Almighty.
1. If he bring long, sore, and heavy Judgements upon him, wasting and perplexing calamities, such as make him groan, yet he is righteous, Neh. 9. 33.
1. If he bring long, sore, and heavy Judgements upon him, wasting and perplexing calamities, such as make him groane, yet he is righteous, Neh. 9. 33.
2. If he should delay to hear him, or give him any answer of peace, though he have prayed and begged, yet it is no affront; it is right, and it is his duty to wait till he will, let it be whensoever he pleaseth, Isa. 8. 17.
3. If he should judge and condemn him, by passing a sentence upon him, and declaring his reward to be with sinners, still he must be justified, Psal. 51.4.
4. If he please to damn him everlastingly, to harden his heart against him, yet even this also hath he truly deserved; and it is at his liberty whether he will do otherwise with him yea or no, Dan. 9. 8. He hath but that which doth properly belong to him, it is but his wages, Rom. 6. 23. Thus, though the poor creature is loth to be damned, and earnestly deprecates it, and cannot think of it without trembling and amazement; yet he yields this to God, that he may with all equity do it, and if he do, he shall for ever have cause to be silent, and not in the least to complain against him as unjust.
2. He submits himself to the Sovereignty of God; acknowledging it to be his prerogative, to dispense himself to his creatures at his pleasure. And hence,
2. He submits himself to the Soveraignty of God; acknowledging it to be his prerogative, to dispense himself to his creatures at his pleasure. And hence,
1. He owns and yields himself to be at the Sovereign dispose of God, being one of his creatures, and he may appoint him to what he ⟨p. 254⟩will, without wrong: If the Potter may order his mass of clay (though his fellow creature) to make vessels of the same lump, for several uses, some honourable, some dishonourable; much more may God dispose of him, who gave being to the lump it self of which he was made, Rom. 9. 21.
1. He owns and yields himself to be at the Soveraign dispose of God, being one of his creatures, and he may appoint him to what he ⟨p. 254⟩will, without wrong: If the Potter may order his mass of clay (though his fellow creature) to make vessels of the same lump, for several uses, some honourable, some dishonourable; much more may God dispose of him, who gave being to the lump it self of which he was made, Rom. 9. 21.
2. Hence he lays himself down before Gods Sovereignty, and yields himself to become a subject of it: he puts himself into God's hands as a Sovereign; as a rebel yields himself up freely to his Prince; resolving with himself that God shall do with him what he will, whether it be in judgement or in mercy: He will not strive, contend, or make any rebellious resistance against him. Thus did Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 18. and David, 2 Sam. 15. 26. Here I am, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
2. Hence he layes himself down before Gods Soveraignty, and yields himself to become a subject of it: he puts himself into God's hands as a Soveraign; as a rebel yields himself up freely to his Prince; resolving with himself that God shall do with him what he will, whether it be in judgement or in mercy: He will not strive, contend, or make any rebellious resistance against him. Thus did Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 18. and David, 2 Sam. 15. 26. Here I am, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
3. Hence […] resolves not to reply against any of God's dispensations, be they never so sharp or severe upon him. There is a great difference between being willing to be damned, and being willing that God should be Sovereign: God commands us to fly from hell, and yet he expects of us, both to acknowledge that we have deserved it, and also that we cannot lay claim of title to any such favour at his hands, as Salvation, till he doth freely bestow it upon us; and that if he doth, we owe the acknowledgement ⟨p. 255⟩of it to his Sovereign good pleasure, Rom. 9. 18. He hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy. We must desire and seek to be saved, but we must submit those desires to him who hath the Key of David, and unlocks heavens doors, to none but to whom he pleaseth.
3. Hence 〈…〉 resolves not to reply against any of God's dispensations, be they never so sharp or severe upon him. There is a great difference between being willing to be damned, and being willing that God should be Soveraign: God commands us to fly from hell, and yet he expects of us, both to acknowledge that we have deserved it, and also that we cannot lay claim of title to any such favour at his hands, as Salvation, till he doth freely bestow it upon us; and that if he doth, we ow the acknowledgement ⟨p. 255⟩of it to his Soveraign good pleasure, Rom. 9. 18. He hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy. We must desire and seek to be saved, but we must submit those desires to him who hath the Key of David, and unlocks heavens doors, to none but to whom he pleaseth.
3. He submits himself to God's free mercy; to which alone he repairs, and on which only he depends for acceptance: and be submits to this,
1. By a free and constant acknowledgement that all that he hath ever received of God, hath flowed from this fountain; his life, his livelihood, the proffers of Grace; and if ever he obtain Salvation it must be from mercy: If God should deny him Grace, he should be just; but if for his own names sake he will take him up into everlasting arms, this is mere mercy; and every inviting call, every encouraging promise, every smile of his countenance is undeserved mercy.
1. By a free and constant acknowledgement that all that he hath ever received of God, hath flowed from this fountain; his life, his livelihood, the proffers of Grace; and if ever he obtain Salvation it must be from mercy: If God should deny him Grace, he should be just; but if for his own names sake he will take him up into everlasting arms, this is meer mercy; and every inviting call, every encouraging promise, every smile of his countenance is undeserved mercy.
2. By a free, ready, willing, earnest desire to be saved in a way of mercy, and […] no other way: he now looks no more for any merit in himself, or any righteousness of his own by which he might please God, satisfy the law, deserve favour; he no longer sticks at any of these things, but would have mercy to reap the whole honour and praise of his salvation, Psal. 115. 1.
2. By a free, ready, willing, earnest desire to be saved in a way of mercy, and 〈…〉 no other way: he now looks no more for any merit in himself, or any righteousness of his own by which he might please God, satisfie the law, deserve favour; he no longer sticks at any of these things, but would have mercy to reap the whole honour and praise of his salvation, Psal. 115. 1.
3. He takes up a firm resolution to lie and tarry at the door of mercy, to repair to this fountain for all good, and to expect and wait for all here.
3. He takes up a firm resolution to ly and tarry at the door of mercy, to repair to this fountain for all good, and to expect and wait for all here.
1. He […] not, nor will he make use of any other Attribute, or plead for acceptance by; and this hope is in God's Grace, and all his pleading is, For thine own Name sake. As far as mercy may be moved to look favourably upon him, so far his hope reacheth, and no further.
1. He 〈…〉 not, nor will he make use of any other Attribute, or plead for acceptance by; and this hope is in God's Grace, and all his pleading is, For thine own Name sake. As far as mercy may be moved to look favourably upon him, so far his hope reacheth, and no further.
2. Hence he resigns himself to mercy's disposal: Text. Let God but accept of me, take me into his house, and now let mercy do what it sees fit: May I be but a subject of saving mercy, I will trust that for the rest.
